Conveying apparatus.



No. 851,790; PATENTBD APR. 30, 1901.

G. A. AMSDEN.

CONVEYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1905.

Tut minus FlYlRS 0a.. wasmuutvu. n. c.

No. s51.7-9o. PATBNTED APR. 30, 1907..

' G. A. AMSDEN.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1905.

QBH'EETB-SHEBT 2- PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

G. A. AMSDEN.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION run!) we. a, 1905.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- No. 51,790. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.. G. A. AMSDEN. CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 8, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4;.

1' "TIME UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. AMSDEN, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed August 8,1905. Serial No. 273,309.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. AMsDEN, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in conveying apparatus and its object is to produce a device so constructed, combined and operated as to automatically pick up tubes or receptacles containing arti cles and automatically deposit the said tubes or receptacles at their destination upon a re- I 5 ceiving shelf or table without jar or injury to their contents. At despatching and receiving stations I utilize a special air cushion device for graduating the speed of delivery of tubes to and from the carrier. To support the weight of the tubes in transit and lock the samein the grip of the carriers, said carriers are also provided with an, automatic latch.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion' of the apparatus showing a two station terminalwithout the return corner. Fig. 2

is a perspective view of a portion of said apparatus showing a line station located thereon. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 showing automatic receiving device. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the automatic elevator or despatching station showing mechanism for tripping same. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of upper portion of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section of automatic elevator showing weight attached to same and releasing clutch. Fig. 7

is an enlarged view of air cushion speed con-.

trolling device partly in section. Fig. 8 is a detail view of upper head of air cylinder. Fig. 9 shows parcel receptacle or tube partly in section. Fig. 10 is a section on line X X Fig. 9 looking in direction indicated by arrow. Fig. 11 is a section of Fig. 7 on the line X X looking in direction indicated by arrow. Fig. 12 is a side view of the automatic carrier. Fig. 13 is an end view of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 12. Fi 15 is a section of Fig. 14 on line X X, the dotted lines showing the position of grips when carrying the tube. Fig. 16 is an end elevation of carrier on tracks showing rolls about to operate on cam tracks. Fig. 17 shows the carrier after entering a station with grips opened wide by cam tracks.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views:

The upper channel tracks A and A and the lower channel tracks A and A are bolted to and held in position by suitable brackets A*, vertical standards A being fixed to and supporting the same. The carrier plate C is mounted in said channel tracks and adapted to travel therein being attached to and propelled by the cable B which cable may be driven by any suitable power. The cable B is attached to the lug C which is fixed to and projects from the rear of the carrier C. Any number of carriers may be similarly attached at intervals to said cable B. The carrier plate C (see Figs. 12, 1 1 and 1(5) has the plate C fixed thereon by the screws which plate carries the extensions C. The upper or sta-' tionary grip C is rigidly mounted in said eX- tensions C and held therein by suitable set screws C The yoke C is pivoted on the rod C which rod is pinned in the extensions C The lower or movable grip C is mounted in said yoke C and held by the set screws C. Said grip C is held closed by the springs C mounted on the rod C Mounted in the extension C of the yoke C is the roll C. The latch C pivoted on the upper grip C is adapted to engage the lower grip C and support and prevent said grip from opening when carrying a load. A spring C holds said latch closed and the roll C is moimted in the extension C of said latch. The automatic elevator or tube holder is located at despatching stations and consists of the sup porting frame or brackets D slidable on the rods D, which rods are fixed in cross bars D mounted on one of the standards A (Fig. 1). The weight D loosely mounted in the standard A is connected to the frame or elevator D by the cord D" hung over the pulley D and holds the elevator or tube holder at its high level. The compressed air cushion D connected with said elevator D by the plunger rod D regulates the ascent.

The latch D is pivoted on the standard A and is adapted to engage and hold said elevator at low position. The rod D connects said latch D with one end of the bell crank lever E, the other end being connected with the trip cam E by the rod E (see Fig. 5). The trip cam E is connected with the latch D at despatching station 2 by the rod E, bell crank lever E and rod E. Trip earns E and E are pivoted in extensions E on brackets A and hold latches D in locked position by means of the springs D Supported by the brackets A are the cam tracks F, F and F (Fig. 1) and F and F (Figs. 2 and 3) which at each station are located at dii'lerent heights so that only such carrier as is intended to discharge or pick up at that station is operated upon by said cam tracks. The cam tracks F and F are adapted to engage the graduating roller C operating the latch C of the carriersC (see Figs. 16 and 17). The cam tracks F and F (Fig. 1) and F (Fig.2) are adapted to engage the roll C operating the lower or movable grip C of the carrier 0.

The automatic receiver G consisting of a rack adapted to carry a tube is pivoted on the bracket G which bracket is fixed to a standard A The said rack is actuated by weights G. A connecting rod H pivoted to the spindle G connects the rack with the cylinder H and the pivoted joint H allows the said cylinder H to keep in alinement with the point of connection with the rack. The high and low levels of the automatic receiver G shown in Fig. 1 are limited by the stops G The cylinder H (Figs. 7, 8 and 11) is closed at the top by the cylinder head H through which moves the connecting rod H fixed to the piston H The orifice H is graduated by thumb screw H held in position by the check nut H The lower end of the cylinder H is closed by the head H The orifice H is graduated by the thumb screw H and the air inlet H is controlled by the clapper cap H which allows free admission of air during the up stroke of the piston H The spring H located in the bottom of the cylinder H' helps the rack to resume upward movement after discharging the tube. The side vents H allow the piston to make two-thirds of its ascent or descent before being retarded by v the air in the cylinder.

The operation is as follows: In despatching a tube, the operator first pulls down the elevator D by the handle D until it-engages the latch D and assumes the position shown in station 2. The tube is then placed on the said elevator D. The carrier C shown in Fig. 1 on the upper track has just tripped the cam E by means of the graduation roll C passing over it drawing the rod D and throwing the latch D releasing the elevator D at station 1, allowing it to be taken to the higher level by means of the weight D the speed being checked by the compressed air cushion D operated by the plunger D Certain of the above operations can best be seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The carrier C shown in dotted lines (Fig. 1) on the lower track has just delivered a tube to the automatic receiver G, the roll C having engaged the cam track F releasing the latch C allowing the roll C engaging the cam track F to open the grip C depositing the tube on the automatic receiver G. These last named operations of the carrier are best shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17. The grip C being held open by the cam track F acting on the roll C approaches the tube at station 1, and the grip C upon passing directly under the tube closes upon said tube picking it up from the elevator D; the pressure on the roll 0 having ceased, the springs (1 cause the said grip to close and the latch C automatically locks said grip in position. The weight of the tube previously delivered to the automatic receiver being sufficient to overcome the weights G, causes it to swing over and be deposited upon the table. The speed of the automatic receiving device when delivering a tube is checked by the specially devised air cushion H which al lows the automatic receiver to make twothirds its ascent or descent before taking effeet, the air escaping through the side vents H as hereinbe'fore described. The construction of this air cushion is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 11. The spring I 13 in the bottom of the air cylinder H gives the piston H a start in its upward course and air is admitted freely through the inlet H controlled-by the clapper cap H so as not to retard the piston H in its upward course. The special features of this air cushion are necessary in order to successfully receive and deliver both a heavy and light tube, and at the same time regain its former position at the track. The distance traveled in either direction by the automatic receiver is governed by the stops G".

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: e

1. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said track or way, a carrier connected with said cable and movable along said track or way and having aclamp adapted to engage the receptacle or article to be conveyed, a movable support for the receptacle or article to be carried located out of the path of the traveling clamp, means for opening said clamp as the carrier approaches said support, mechanism operated by said clamp for releasing said support, means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the traveling clamp whereby said receptacle or article is engaged by the clamp and conveyed from said support, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said support.

2. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way and having connected thereto a number of carriers, said carriers having clamps adapted to engage the receptacles or article to be conveyed, a number of movable supports for said receptacles or articles, clam opening devices adjacent to said supports but located at different positions with relation to the track at the different supports, co-operating clamp-opening portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a given clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others, means for holding each support out of the path of the traveling clamps, mechanism operated automatically by the clamp-opening device of the clamp for releasing said support, automatic means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the opened clamp whereby said rece tacle is seized by said clamp and conveyed from said supports, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said supports.

3. In a conveying a paratus, a track or way, an endless propel ing cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said track or Way, a carrier connected with said cable and movable along said track or way and having a clamp adapted to engage the receptacle or article to be conveyed, a movable support for the receptacle or article to be carried and located out of the path of the traveling clamp, means for opening said clamp as the carrier ap roaches said support, mechanism operated by said clamp for releasing said support, means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the traveling clamp whereby said receptacle or article is engaged by the clamp and, conveyed from said support, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said support, means located along the path of travel of said carrier for opening said clamp and releasing said receptacle or article, and means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle or article from said carrier to a platform or sup ort.

4. n a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way and having connected thereto a number of carriers, said carriers having clamps adapted to engage the receptacles or articles to be conveyed, a number of movable supports for said receptacles or articles, clamp-opening devices adjacent to said su ports but located at different positions with relation to the track at the different supports, co-operating clamp-opening portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a given clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others, means for olding each support out of the path of the traveling clam s, mechanism operated automatically by t 1e clamp-opening device of the clamp for releasing said support, automatic means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the opened clamp whereby said receptacle is seized by said clamp and conveyed from said supports, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said supports, clamp-opening means located at different positions along the path of travel of said carriers whereby the clamp of a given carrier is opened at one position only releasing the receptacle or article held therein, and means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle to a platform or support.

5. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said track or way, a carrier connected with said cable and movable along said track or way and having a clamp adapted to engage the receptacle or article to be conveyed, a movable support for the receptacle or article to be carried and located out of the path of the traveling clamp, means for opening said clamp as the carrier approaches said support, mechanism operated by said clamp for releasing said support, means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the traveling clamp whereby said receptacle or article is engaged by the clamp and conveyed from said support, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of as cent of said support, means located along thepath of travel of said carrier for opening said clamp and releasing said receptacle or article, means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle or article from said car rier to a platform or support, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of delivcry of said receptacle or article from said carrier to said 'ilatform or support.

6. In a conveying apparatus, track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way and having connected thereto a number of carriers, said carriers having clamps adapted to engage the receptacles or articles to be conveyed, a number of movable supports for said receptacles or articles, clamp-opening devices adjacent to said supports but located at different positions with relation to the track at the different supports, co-operating clampopening portions arranged in different positions on the differei'it clamps whereby a given clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others, means for holding each support out of the path of the traveling clamps, mechanism operated automatically by the clamp-opening device of the clamp for releasing said support, automatic means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the opened clamp whereby said receptacle is ICO seized by said clamp and conveyed from said supports, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said supports, clampopening means located at different positions along the path of travel of said carriers whereby the-clamp of a given carrier is opened at one position only releasing the receptacle or article held therein, means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle to a platform or support, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of delivery of said receptacles or articles from said carrier to said platform or support.

7. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said track or Way, a carrier connected with said cable and movable along said track or Way and having a clamp adapted to engage the receptacle or article to be conveyed, a movable support for the receptacle or article to be carried and located out of the path of the traveling clamp, means for opening said clamp as the carrier approaches said support, mechanism operated by said clamp for releasing said support, means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the traveling clamp whereby said receptacle or article is engaged by the clamp and conveyed from said support, means for automatically locking said clamp in closed position upon said receptacle, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said support, means located along the path of travel of said carrier for automatically re-' leasing said locking means, means located along the path of travel of said carrier for opening said clamp and releasing said receptacle or article, means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle or arti cle from said carrier to a platform or support, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of delivery of said. receptacle or article from said carrier to said platform or support.

8. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way and having connected thereto a number of carriers, said carriers having clamps adapted to engage the receptacles or articles to be conveyed, a number of movable supports for said receptacles or articles, clamp-opening devices adjacent to said supports but located at different positions with relation to the track at the different supports, co-operating clamp-opening portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a given clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others, means for holding each support out of the path of the traveling clamps, mechanism operated automatically by the clamp-opening device of the clamp for releasing said support, automatic means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the opened clamp whereby said receptacle is seized by said clamp and conveyed from said supports, means for automatically locking said clamp in closed position upon said receptacle, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said supports, means located at different positions along the path said carriers for releasing said locking means, clamp-opening means located at different positions along the path. of travel of said carriers whereby the clamp of a given carrier is opened at one position only releasing the receptacle or article held therein, means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle to a platform or support, and means for pneumatically controlling the speed of delivery of said receptacles or articles from said carrier to said platform or support.

9. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said track or way, a carrier connected with said cable andmovable along said track or way and having a clamp adapted to engage the receptacle or article to be conveyed, a movable support for the receptacle or article to be carried and located out of the path of the traveling clamp, means for opening said clamp as the carrier approaches said support, mechanism operated by said clamp for releasing said support, means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path of the traveling clamp whereby said receptacle or article is engaged by the clamp and conveyed from said support, means for automatically locking said clamp in closed position upon saidreceptacle, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said support, means located along the path of travel of said carrier for automatically releasing said locking means, means located along the path of travel of said carrier for opening said clamp and releasing said receptacle or article, means for automatically receiving and delivering said receptacle or article from said carrier to a platform or support, and means for automatically controlling the speed of delivery of said rece tacle or article from said carrier to said platfiirm or support.

10. In a conveying apparatus, a track or way, an endless propelling cable adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way and having connected thereto a number of carriers, said carriers having clamps adapted to engage the receptacles or articles to be conveyed, a number of movable supports for said receptacles or articles, clampopening devices adjacent to said supports but located at diiferent positions with relation to the track at the different supports, cooperating clamp-opening portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a given clamp is opened when pass ing a given support but not when passing of travel of 7 others, means for holding each support out of the path of the traveling clamps, mechanism operated automatically by the clamp-opening device of the clamp for releasing said support, automatic means for lifting said support to raise the receptacle or article into the path I cles from said carrier to said platform or supof the opened clamp whereby said receptacle is seized by said clamp and conveyed from said supports, means for automatically locking said clamp in closed position upon said receptacle, means for pneumatically controlling the speed of ascent of said supports, means located at different positions along the path of travel of said carriers for releasing said lockin means, clamp-opening means located at ditierent positions along the path of travel of said carriers whereby the clamp of a given carrier is opened at one position only releasing the receptacle or article held therein, means for autoniatically receiving and delivering said receptacle to a platform or support, and means for automatically controlling the speed of delivery of said receptacles'or' artiport.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this twenty sixth day of July A. D. 1905.

GEORGE A. AMSDEN.

WVitnesses:

A. L. hhassno, LoUIs G. BARTLETT. 

